9 Charming Idaho Communities To Retire Around Boise

There’s something special about retiring somewhere close enough to the premium features of a big city but far from the noise and chaos of daily city life. It’s the best of both worlds, where one can live a quiet life and still be two hours or less away from major airports, hospitals, and attractions. In Idaho, specifically around Boise, the state capital, there are several towns offering this desirable experience. Star is just one such town featuring a laid-back atmosphere and exciting attractions, like the 73-par River Birch Golf Course, one of Idaho’s most enjoyable courses. This is despite being around 30 minutes from some of the top amenities in Boise, including Boise Airport and Julia Davis Park, which features a zoo with hundreds of animals, access to the Boise River, and sports facilities. Read on to find more about this charming community and similar destinations perfect for retirement around Idaho’s largest city.

Eagle

Eagle is among the closest towns to Boise, located just 10 miles away, and is a haven for retirement in Idaho. First off, the town has a couple of great medical facilities, including the Saint Alphonsus Emergency Eagle, which is always available to provide emergency care. The community spirit here is also strong, with the town hosting several events, including the Eagle Concert Series, which features live music every last Thursday of the month from May to August.

Meanwhile, Eagle has a considerable number of attractions to keep everyone excited, one of which is the Eagle Island State Park. This 545-acre park is incredibly popular in Idaho, as it has a swimming beach, a picnic area, over five miles of trails, a disc golf course, and a zip line course for those who want to get those adrenaline juices rushing. Wine lovers will love the variety of wines at the 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards, while golf buddies can always hang out at the Banbury Golf Club, which is one of the best in Idaho, featuring impressive scenery, a par-71 course, and a restaurant serving delicious food.

Star

Star sits just 16 miles from Boise, where it promises a great experience for retirees. Populated by just 11,000 people, this tight-knit community is scenic and peaceful, plus it has several amenities to keep retirees satisfied, including top-notch food establishments like the El Mariachi Loco Restaurante, which serves sumptuous Mexican food. In addition to its proximity to Boise, Star is near Meridan and Nampa, meaning easy access to the Ford Idaho Center, a sprawling complex of sports and entertainment in Nampa, and Meridan’s Albersons Market Street, one of the coolest places to shop for groceries in Idaho. Moreover, Star is a mere 19-minute drive to the West Valley Medical Center in Caldwell, a highly-rated general hospital providing diverse services, including emergency care and general surgery. In Star, retirees will also find exciting attractions, like the Star River Walk Park, a great place to hike or picnic amidst lush trees and grassy areas, and along the Boise River, which is ideal for fishing. Additionally, the par-73 River Birch Golf Course is in town to delight golfers, plus Eagle Island State Park is just six miles away, and has a swimming beach, and more than five miles of trails to offer.

Garden City

Garden City is an adorable town surrounded by Idaho’s capital city, and an ideal place for retirement. As a suburb of Boise, a great deal of the state’s top amenities are within short distances from this town, including the highly-rated Treasure Valley Hospital, located just 3.6 miles away, and the Boise Airport, which can be reached in less than 11 minutes. Garden City’s location on the Boise River also means opportunities to fish right in the downtown area or enjoy some thrilling paddling activities at the Boise Whitewater Park. The 29-mile Boise River Greenbelt also winds through this town, providing retirees with an exciting hiking or biking adventure along the river. Moreover, Garden City is a wine lover's paradise, with several wineries always open to present some of the region’s best wines. Telaya Wines Co., one of the town’s top wineries, even offers cool events, beautiful scenery of the river and vineyards, alongside great wines. Elsewhere, just outside town, the Hyatt Hidden Lakes Reserve is available to delight nature lovers with trails that meander through wetlands frequented by birds and other wildlife.

Mountain Home

Just like its name suggests, this scenic high-desert town is surrounded by mountains and located near Crater Rings, one of the few examples of volcanic craters in the mainland United States. And while it may seem like it is in the middle of nowhere, Mountain Home is just 44 minutes from Boise, placing the state’s top attractions and facilities within easy reach. Populated by just 15,000 people, the town is also a relaxing place to retire and is surrounded by exciting attractions, one of which is Anderson Ranch Reservoir, located just 40 minutes away, and offering fishing, paddling, and camping activities. Even more exciting, Bruneu Dunes State Park is just 23 minutes from town, featuring the tallest freestanding sand dunes in North America, with a height of 470 feet. The dunes are open for climbing, sandboarding, and sandsurfing, plus the park has campsites, trails for hiking and horse riding, and a lake for fishing. Back in Mountain Home, the Sweetbriar Vineyard and Winery has a variety of wines to please wine lovers, while the Carl Miller Park is a great place to picnic under large trees or catch a community event. Furthermore, the 18-hole Desert Canyon Golf Course is right in Mountain Town with stunning natural scenery, further making it appealing for golf-loving retirees.

McCall

McCall is one of the best places to retire in Idaho for many reasons. Besides being around two hours from Boise, this town holds some of the state’s best attractions and facilities, like the McCall Golf Club, which features a 27-hole course surrounded by beautiful trees and fields. McCall is the proud home of Ponderosa State Park, a 1,500-acre area offering a wide range of adventures from hiking and biking to camping, wildlife and bird watching, and skiing in winter. The park also hosts part of the beautiful Payette Lake, which is a paradise for fishing, boating, swimming, paddleboarding, and kayaking. In addition, McCall is around 45 minutes from Burgdorf Hot Springs, one of Idaho’s top wellness destinations. This resort will delight retirees as it has rustic cabins and pools filled with therapeutic hot water. On top of all these, retiring in McCall means proximity to the Brundage Mountain Resort, where winter can be spent skiing and snowboarding on some of the state’s finest snow, while summer can be spent golfing, catching concerts, or hiking and biking on over 30 miles of trails.

Buhl

Buhl’s retirement appeal is not just its proximity to Boise, but its closeness to Twin Falls, one of Idaho’s larger towns located just 21 minutes away. So while retirees here can reach the Boise International Airport in just an hour and 43 minutes, the Shoshone Falls Park is around 30 minutes away in Twin Falls, with incredible scenery. Sometimes called the Niagara of the West, this waterfall on the Snake River is a beauty to behold, standing at 212 feet and surrounded by stunning canyons. Besides its proximity to incredible attractions, Buhl itself is loaded with a considerable number of things to delight retirees, starting from the Miracle Hot Springs, the region’s most famous wellness destination. This facility is the perfect place to relax, as it features four large outdoor geothermal pools with mineral-rich waters, well-equipped campsites, spa services, and luxurious accommodation. On another part of town sits the Clear Lake Country Club, where retirees will love to hang out while fly fishing, dining, or golfing on the beautiful 18-hole course featuring views of the Snake River. Buhl is also home to a few highly-rated medical facilities, like the North Canyon Buhl Clinic, which offers a wide range of services, including family medicine, pain management, and orthopedics.

Jerome

Jerome is a peaceful little town with so much to make retirement pleasurable. Located around an hour and 40 minutes from Boise, this town is well away from the hustle and bustle of city life, plus it lacks nothing in terms of recreation. Jerome is home to several parks ideal for relaxation and fun activities, and the North Park is just one of them. In addition to several picnic areas, this park has a playground, a skateboarding area, and is just a great place to watch children play. As for history buffs, Jerome hosts the Minidoka National Historic Site, where one can learn about how thousands of Japanese were imprisoned in the area during the Second World War. For golf enthusiasts, the Jerome Country Club, located just outside town, offers a gorgeous 18-hole championship course and great food.

In the meantime, Jerome is around 22 minutes from Twin Falls, meaning quick access to famous attractions, including the Shoshone Falls Park, which hosts a 212-foot waterfall on the Snake River, and offers hiking and swimming opportunities.

Kuna

Kuna is an incredibly appealing destination to retire in Idaho. This town truly offers the best of both worlds, as it is small and laid-back, yet located 28 minutes from Boise and less than 20 minutes from other cities in the Boise Metropolitan Area, including Nampa and Meridian. So while it is a hub for a relaxing lifestyle, it is also a gateway to some of the state’s top attractions, like the Zoo Boise, where over 300 animals from more than 100 species await to offer a memorable wildlife adventure. To add to all that, Kuna hosts a couple of parks, like the Bernie Fisher Park, which has picnic facilities and playground equipment. The Falcon Crest Golf Club is also in town, with a 27-hole championship golf course and stunning views to delight golf-loving retirees, while the Indian Creek Winery just outside town offers premium wines, beautiful vineyards, and occasional events. Notably, Kuna has a couple of highly-rated medical facilities that add to its appeal, including Primary Health Medical Group - Kuna, which offers urgent care, among other services.

Emmett

Emmett is a hidden gem on the Payette River, just under an hour from the capital and most populous city in Idaho. Although small, with just around 8,800 residents, this town promises a fulfilling retirement, especially due to its exciting recreational facilities. Here, retirees have Emmett City Park to picnic or stroll amidst lush trees and well-maintained fields. Notably, this park is the venue of the annual Emmett Cherry Festival, Idaho’s longest-running festival, which was first started in the 1930s. This festival is held in June and features parades, rides, live music, and other events to celebrate the valley’s agricultural abundance. Retirees in Emmett also have the Frontier Cinema to enjoy premium movie entertainment, plus the Black Canyon Park is just outside town and offers opportunities for camping, picnicking, and boating and fishing on the Black Canyon Reservoir. In the meantime, Emmett has some reputable medical facilities, including Valor Health, which provides urgent care, orthopedic care, and specialty medicine, among other health services.

Idaho has a host of places ideal for retirement; however, the towns around Boise offer more appeal, especially because of their proximity to some of Idaho’s foremost features, including the Boise Airport, the state’s busiest airport by far. Besides the convenience, these charming communities appeal with their laid-back vibes, and even more attractions, some of which are also incredibly famous, like the Ponderosa State Park, which has put McCall on the global map. Retire to these communities in Idaho today and enjoy the best of both worlds.